Unless you live under a sand dune on Mars or you have that Helen Keller disease, you probably are aware that Sony and Microsoft have both launched their next-gen consoles on Nov 15th (PS4) and Nov 22nd (Xbox One), respectively. Being a gamer requires that you also understand the finer things in life, like how to talk away that mustard stain on your hoodie as canvas paint or know how to camp out and prepare yourself for a midnight system launch. It’s been nearly seven years for Sony and over eight years for Microsoft, so to say these console launches aren’t as exciting as before is underwhelming. Attending the midnight launch of the PlayStation 4 at my local GameStop, there was so much excitement people could hardly contain themselves as we discussed past launches, the games we loved and why I was the only person at the launch who wasn’t actually buying a system (the latter fact is irrelevant guys, BECAUSE I SAY SO). I tried innumerably to convince my fellow gamers to all pool in their funds and buy me a console, but my desperation only compounded matters for the worse and did me no favorable service. My associate who worked at GameStop told me that I had ZERO chance to obtain a unit without first pre-ordering months a go, so I cried and screamed and begged like a child having a temper tantrum, only to be forcefully removed from the premises. “Act your age” everyone said…. “Nobody wants to see a big, fat almost-30 year old man child writhing on the floor in tears” they said… WELL SCREW YOU GUYS! OK, so maybe I embellished some of the above statements, and I didn’t actually get kicked out… I left of my own accord with dignity. I did return however with a bag full of chocolate because everyone knows gamers can’t resist big bags of snacks…. and was thus welcomed back to the launch party swiftly. “Chocolates for all” I declared! So as the night went on I snapped a few photos when I could and returned during the evening to my local Best Buy with my entourage in tow to play the PS4 demo kiosk and get some intimate, hands-on time with the console myself. Here’s what happened when trying to play first-party launch exclusive “KNACK”:

Unfortunately, we were shutdown and ejected by the evil Best Buy Dragon Queen because the legality of filming violates their PR policies. I couldn’t buy a PS4, I don’t know anyone that owns a unit who will let me rebox and unbox to have my own cool unboxing video then play it for hours while they sit and watch (apparently the only person I do know that owned one wanted to play it all for themselves launch day, go figure) so I did the next best thing: going to a business that owned one with my film crew and using their free generosity to mooch gaming playtime and record it. Can a broke, ambivalent man-child gamer really be blamed for such gratuitous behavior? For my complete “PS4: Gamer on the Ground” article, click on the following link or click on the tab of the same name under the Editorials tab:

The Last of Us Single Player DLC “Left Behind” announced, Ellie a returning character

I have advocated every chance that has come to pass for TLoU to be a Game of the Year frontrunner and with this next DLC pack, scheduled to be released early 2014 my contention only grows stronger. Naughty Dog has confirmed the single-player story DLC for “The Last of Us” will indeed see the return of Ellie as a playable character and in fact, be a prequel to the core games story. It will also introduce the character of Riley, one of Ellie’s best and only friends at the military orphanage where she was being schooled. If you’ve read the Dark House 4-part comic series “American Dreams” then you should have some idea of what to expect, although the DLC is not an exact recreation from the comics story and appears to take place after the events from the last comic and in-between the beginning of the main game. I implore you guys to read “American Dreams” because not only does it offer a great precursor to Ellie’s backstory, but it also serves as a companion piece to the game’s main narrative. Here’s the teaser trailer for the DLC, entitled “Left Behind“:

Bioshock: Infinite “Burial at Sea” pt. 1 released

Return to Rapture before it’s downfall and see it as in the utopia Andrew Ryan envisioned. Liz seeks out Bookers help as a Private Investigator in “Burial at Sea”.

The first part of a duo DLC single-player pack for Bioshock: Infinite was released on November 12th for a MSRP of $14.99, or if you have the Season Pass then it’s available digitally as a download now for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC. “Burial at Sea” is a two-part adventure that returns the player to Rapture in it’s glory days before plasmids corrupted the loyal denizens into Splicers and all hell broke loose. Featuring some new weapons and a whole new story, you’ll play as private investigator Booker DeWitt hired by very more adult, demure persona of Elizabeth in the first part then take over and play as Elizabeth in the second part.

I was really disappointed with the story direction featured in Bioshock: Infinite’s single-player two part DLC “Burial at Sea” and although the concept and the return of Liz and Booker are certainly welcome, it seems so much more could’ve been explored within Infinite’s universe instead of returning to a glorified Rapture. Probably the most intriguing, albeit silent protagonist in a game this year was Infinite’s “Songbird“, the giant mechanical fowl that served as Elizabeth’s frightening ward in the main campaign. For all the lip-service Irrational paid to it’s newest terrifying creation (the collectors edition featured a 12-14” statue of the character and was aptly dubbed “Ultimate Songbird Edition“), Songbird was hardly featured in the core game and ultimately relegated to a minor supporting role. It seems their was so much back story for this character and situational set pieces that could’ve been crafted within a DLC campaign to give Songbird a more involved role. Am I the only one that feels this way? Comment below and speak your mind about what your ideal DLC scenario for Bioshock Infinite would’ve been.

Cosplayer Meagan Marie strikes a pose and brings her characters to life

Recently featured on Kotaku’s Fancy Pants (http://kotaku.com/5876329/the-very-best-of-meagan-maries-cosplay/), I knew she looked familiar. Sure enough, flipping through some of my past print editions of “Game Informer” I saw Meagan’s picture appear several times co-mingling with other GI editors, game developers and game industry folks. Not only is she a hell of a writer, but she can cosplay with the best of them. Take a look for your self:

Meagan portraying Anya from Gears of War, one of the few female gears that could take down herds of the locust with the boys

Meagan as Marie Antoinette, the ill-fated last queen of France and dare I say, one of the original “it-girls” before there even was a Hollywood.

If you want to see more of Meagan’s tireless effort to recreate our favorite fictional and non-fictional characters, then go to her website and admire her skill as only us gross, girlfriend-less gamers could; by showering her with lots of praise and stalking her. Just kidding Meagan, all my subjective comments come from a place of gamer love ❤

P.S.You’ve cosplayed titular gaming characters, historical and mythical figures and even sci-fi badasses. But their seems to be one missing from your resume that happens to be my all time favorite gaming character: Samus Aran. Yes, I know it’s been done but there are so many different ways to approach her. A strong female lead when console gaming was still in it’s infancy and female heroines were uncommon, most women in games were relegated to the “damsel in distress” cliches. Her revelation came as a pleasant surprise to most gamers who played through the original Metroid and were expecting anything but. One of the original Nintendo stalwart characters, Samus has always been my favorite and if Nintendo would release a new Metroid game where she resumes the role of the silent, lone-wolf character (no more talking please, Samus spoke enough in “Other M” to last the next three generations of Metroid games), I would instantly go out and buy a Nintendo console just to play it. Just a thought, or rant. Whatever.

HiddenDefinition’s One Year Anniversary!

HAPPY BIRFDAY TO US

If you had told me this site would’ve survived beyond a year, gained a cult following of a mind-blowing six people (hey, it’s a small cult and everybody knows cults are almost always more effective with a limited resume of cryptic followers, just look at the Manson family) and rocked the online gaming community to it’s core I would’ve scoffed in your face and possibly spit on you (OK, the last point is clearly a lie). But here we are, a year later and HD is still going lukewarm strong. To commemorate this insignificant landmark that surely noone will recognize I ripped off a funny pic courtesy of IMGUR. Thanks to whoever thoughtfully took the precious time to create the above craft and post it, if you feel you deserve more credit please comment on this post and I’ll text you dickpics. Just kidding, they’ll be nip pics, I do have some shame. So, let’s do a little dance, sing a little song and drown this forgettable occasion in a plethora of news! ON WITH THE NEWS!!

Sony confirms that PS4 launch title DriveClub is delayed until early 2014

UK based Evolution studios PS4 racer “DriveClub” will not be available day one, or even this year for that matter (screenshot taken from in-game)

This is the second big launch loss for Sony, as Ubisoft announced earlier that their new IP for next-gen and current-gen consoles Watch Dogs was also delayed until 2014. DriveClub is a team-based racing sim that…. well we don’t know too much about it yet but from the above image it certainly looks very pretty. It’s too bad, since Microsoft will have Forza which also admittedly looks awesome and will be available during the Xbox One launch. As I’ve stated multiple times on this site and I will now reiterate, anytime a game is delayed it’s typically for the greater good. Nobody wants a glitchy, cobbled-together mess pushed out the door just to make a release date because then nobody wins. So while in the short term it’s definitely a blow to Sony’s already iffy first-party launch lineup, in the long term will be better for it. DriveClub was also supposed to come free with PlayStation Plus membership for those who signed up after the PS4 launched, obviously offering incentive to pay for Sony’s lucrative premium online service. In it’s stead, Sony is now offering the moody platformer “Contrast” as the free replacement digital game download which is still a bargain. While Contrast may not contain the same broad appeal as an arcade/driving simulator for early adopters, from all reports Contrast is a game that is beautifully crafted and offers a twist on the platform genre. Also, there is a little title called Gran Turismo 6 which is going to be released in December for the PS3, so I’m sure all you racing fans can manage. Either way, Sony has you covered. If you’ve yet to see Contrast in action, here’s a the trailer as a refresher:

Sony clarifies what the PS4 can and cannot do during it’s infancy with the official PlayStation 4 FAQ

Sony has released a 30-something page FAQ that covers everything A-Z with it’s newest console. If you have any unanswered questions regarding the next-gen behemoth that haven’t properly been answered outside the realm of speculation, you can find out whatever it is you need to know with official confirmation on Sony’s US Blog. Notable points of interest include the system will not play audio CD’s or MP3’s, which is kind of a bummer but Sony has insisted that it has listened to our shrieks of discontent and says that these issues may be remedied in future firmware updates. Also worthy of mention (which I posted in a news article back several weeks a go) is that the PS4 does not currently support bluetooth headsets. While the PS4 will include it’s own headset bundled, this is certainly puzzling as many gamers have pricey bluetooth sets of high-quality and it seems that for a next-gen console bluetooth would be an obvious mandatory inclusion. Hopefully after Sony works out whatever they need to after the console launches, will get some kind of update that doesn’t render our expensive bluetooth headsets as just relics for the aging PS3. For the full FAQ, click on the link below:

Probably one of the biggest 3rd-party exclusive titles coming next-gen will never be making the rounds to Sony PlayStation, EVER. Electronic Arts confirmed recently that the Respawn-developed title will be an Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC/Windows exclusive for it’s lifetime. Many folks believed (as did I) that “Titanfall” was a timed exclusive, meaning the title would be available only for Microsoft gaming platforms for a period of 4-6 months before their licensing period expired and then it could be ported to the PS4, however that’s just not the case. Respawn took to the web to clarify this was a surprise as much to them as it was to those purchasing a PS4 over Xbox One, stating this was clearly a decision that came from the publishing giant EA and not them. Certainly disappointing, however many Sony first-party studios have yet to even announce their own projects so I’m quite sure that the Sony faithful will be rewarded in time with a variety of kick ass exclusives. Naughty Dog, Media Molecule and Quantic Dream have all yet to show off or announce any next-gen titles (Sorry, but “The Dark Sorcerer” doesn’t count). This is what happens when you throw a crap load of money at a publisher and say “See that game one of you’re studios is developing, it’s ONLY coming to our platforms”. The good news is if you own a PC, Titanfall is still very playable as long as your system is up to spec. I don’t blame Microsoft for locking this game up, if it weren’t for exclusives then owning a Sony or Microsoft branded console would be utterly pointless. Gamers buy dedicated gaming consoles for the exclusive games that only they can offer. Otherwise, there would be no point as every title would be multi-platform, which in turn would lead to almost no competition and ultimately drive up price, or just kill of the console market all-together. This is why Nintendo will NEVER allow any of their stalwart first-party games and characters to touch another console manufacturer. Oh and by the way, if you’re looking for a bargain this holiday season and want a new console but don’t have the scratch to invest in the PS4 or Xbox One, may I recommend another viable option: Nintendo has released a special “mini” version of the Wii (aptly named the Wii Mini) which is bundled with Mario Kart 8 for $99. Nintendo doing what they do best, manufacturing and selling a game machine that just plays games, no more, no less. What more could you ask for?

The Wii Mini comes to retail Nov 17th. and includes a copy of Mario Kart Wii. On the negative side, unlike it’s bigger brother the mini does not include S-video or SD card support, so you’ll have to make do with standard composite A/V cables. However, the Wii was never an HD console to begin with so I don’t see this as too big of a deal. Also, it lacks internet support so you won’t be able to access the virtual console but again without an SD slot to save your downloads, this doesn’t really matter anyways.

Beyond: Two Souls, the, last true great character and story driven PS3 exclusive for this generation?

Quantic Dreams curtain call for the PS3 has polarized gamers, critics and news outlets a like. I’m currently about to start the long, “arduous” process of playing through David Cage’s latest attempt at combining conventional game interactivity with cinema-style writing and actors that hopefully achieve extraordinary results. Visually, the game is probably the prettiest thing available for Sony’s console and it should be, as Cage and company have had years to develop the engine, assets and mo-cap technology that take great advantage of the multifaceted Cell processor.

The PlayStation 3 has had a great run, and it’s still not over with. Sony has publicly stated that the PS3 is meant to have a 10-year life span, which is entirely feasible as Sony supported their PS2 while the PlayStation 3 faced multiple first-party software delays, extreme ineptitude with it’s online support and sub-par multi-platform releases. The Wii outsold the Wii U consistently month after month when Nintendo’s new console got off to a rocky start, thanks to an absurd amount of first party software delays and an abundance of third parties choosing not to release their multi-platform titles for Nintendo’s next-gen console. While Nintendo recently announced they have discontinued manufacturing Wii consoles, It’s no surprise then that a month from now when the PlayStation 4 comes to town, PS3 owners should expect the same level of support they’ve been receiving for years from Sony. Nintendo still has the 3DS and the Wii U will get a boost this holiday with some strong first-party support, and while Microsoft doesn’t exactly have a strong track record of supporting their previous console iterations, they should acknowledge that their are still somewhere in the neighborhood of 70+ million households with XBOX 360’s. Eventually it previous-generation will drop off as the PS4 and Xbox One gradually takes their place, but there will still be a strong level of support from Sony. However, while multi-platform titles are a no-brainer to see releases on both last-gen and next-gen PlayStation consoles, what we may not continue to see much more of is first-party exclusives for the PS3. Beyond: Two Souls is a huge first-party release for Sony, simply because it may be the last PS3 exclusive outside of Gran Turismo 6 to be released for awhile.

Sony will concentrate most of it’s efforts to shifting it’s first-party studios from the out-dated Cell-powered PS3 and acclimating their prized studios with the much more developer friendly x86 8-Core AMD powered PS4. Typically, the first batch of games for a new console are watershed titles; games that players will recognize and instantly be attracted to. Sony, however, has chosen to release two brand new IP’s in Knack and Drive Club. The only recognizable franchise is Killzone: Shadow Fall which has always been a show-off title for Sony’s platforms. The sandbox shooter will take advantage of the PS4’s new touchscreen on the Dual Shock 4 controller and the integrated mic. However, Shadow Fall’s most significant contribution will probably have nothing to do with gameplay at all, but instead will be the title that demonstrates what the new horsepower Sony has under their sleek new parallelogram-shaped box is capable of: Particle effects, larger depth of field, higher resolutions running at a solid 60 fps, high-res textures, background UI computations with the “SHARE” button…. etc. Shadow Fall looks to be a visually stunning game and while the Killzone franchise has never reached the level of success like Microsoft’s HALO series, on launch day that won’t matter because Microsoft doesn’t have Halo, or any new exclusive FPS to compete directly with Shadow Fall. Sony can simply win by default, as Microsoft did back in 2006 when it released the XBOX 360 a year a head of Sony’s PS3. MS showed up to the party first, and many gamers didn’t feel it was worth the wait for a console that was more expensive and included extra features they didn’t care about (ie: the Blu-ray Drive, Micro SD slots, four USB slots; although as a retrospective Sony clearly made the right move implementing BD as Blu-Ray has become the go-to replacement for DVDs, and as the price continually dropped for the PS3, gamers saw that owning a game machine that included a BD drive and a bevy of great exclusives was a clear win-win choice).

Titles like Beyond, Heavy Rain, The Last of Us, Ni No Kuni, Uncharted, Little Big Planet, Journey, Puppeteer, Ratchet and Clank, Gran Turismo, Resistance, Killzone, WipeOut, Metal Gear Solid 4, Kingdom Hearts Remix, Persona 3, 4 (and hopefully 5) show that Sony clearly has a broad selection of first-party content and clearly aren’t afraid to take chances with more daring content. As long as Sony can keep the great exclusive content coming, the PS4 should be just as, if not more successful than it’s predecessor. Here’s hoping that my play-through of Beyond: Two Souls leaves a lasting impression on me like all the great aforementioned Sony exclusive content. Oh and by the way, Team Ico, if you’re still out there, please let us know if the “The Last Guardian” is really still in development or it has been sucked into the gaming abyss of lost titles, otherwise known as vaporware. PS3, PS4, PS Vita, I don’t care at this point anymore- JUST RELEASE IT FOR ONE OF SONY’S PLATFORMS ALREADY!

New multi-platform and exclusive PS3 releases that you shouldn’t pass up

A couple of awesome re-releases have come to pass this October. First and foremost, if you haven’t yet played Borderlands 2 or found reason to buy it yet, Borderlands 2 GOTY Edition (released October 8th in NA) contains all the DLC packs on disc that were released for the title over the past year (there were like 6 or 7 DLC packs for this game, SERIOUSLY) along with the crucial update which raises the level cap and two new playable character classes. I have easily put well over 80-100 hours into BL2, so I traded in my old copy towards the GOTY Edition because I know i’ll be playing the new content and maxing out my character class again.

Released Oct 8th, BL2 GOTY includes over $100 worth of DLC on disc and other awesome goodies for the massive FPSRPG

Another great GOTY Edition released October 8th was Dishonored Game of the Year Editionwhich includes all the awesome DLC packs ON DISC released for the critically acclaimed Stealth-FPS hybrid. Again, if you have yet to play this title here’s a great reason to pick it up. At only $40 brand new, Dishonored GOTY Edition is a great addition to any gamers collection who is looking for a serious FPS challenge.

Corvo returns to wreck havoc on those who wronged him in the GOTY Edition which contains all DLC packs on disc. The total pack is a very lean $40.

And last but not least, Capcom Essentials is a collection of Capcom games this generation. Released also October 8th that includes 5, yes FIVE full-fledged signature releases from Capcom this console cycle. Included in the bundle: Dead Rising 2, Resident Evil 6, Devil May Cry 4, Super Street Fighter 4 and a download code for Megaman 10. I’m not sure why Megaman 10 wasn’t included on disc, especially for the PS3 version which can take advantage of absurd amount of storage space used by BD discs. Anyways, here’s a breakdown of the bundle for the XBOX 360 version:

The Capcom Essentials 5-in-1 bundle may be a nice addition to your collection if you don’t own any of these titles, although you probably can pick up most of these titles used for under 10-15 dollars. The MSRP is $59.99 for this new bundle, so it may be more of a matter of convenience to have all these games in one package.

For PS3 Exclusives, there are a couple obvious choices.

We had Beyond: Two Souls, which was Sony’s big exclusive for October. For September, we had the whimsical platformer Puppeteer which was released for a reasonable $40 brand new. And on the digital front we had the PSN exclusive puzzle-platformer RAIN which came out mid-October. And for you rabid Last of Us fans, we have the first of the DLC multiplayer content being released October 16th. It’s a map pack that contains around 4-5 new maps.

Released September 10th to mostly positive reviews, Puppeteer is the latest retail release from Studio Japan. You take control of a puppet (duuh) missing his head and throughout the game you obtain different heads that each give you a unique power . You also obtain a pair of shears that you wield as a sword and also as a means to “cut: through certain parts of a level to access new areas or navigate through specific areas. You will also face some pretty intense boss battles, which many reviews highlighted as the games strongest moments.

PlayStation 4 won’t support Bluetooth headsets for chat, Sony confirmed to Game Informer

With the PS4 and XBox One on the near horizon, new details are emerging about both consoles as launch day nears. One little nugget of info is that existing PlayStation 3 Bluetooth Headsets will not be compatible with the PS4’s chat features. This is definitely a bummer, since I own a Sony licensed and manufactured Bluetooth set that works beautifully with my PlayStation 3’s online gaming. Fortunately, I didn’t pay much for it so if need be I can replace it if Sony hasn’t fixed this glitch with a firmware or software update to the PS4 OS. I won’t be purchasing a PS4 probably until a year or two into it’s life cycle, so PS3 headsets will eventually be made compatible by a firmware update. If you own a Sony Pulse Bluetooth headset (which costs around $100).

The PlayStation 4 will include a simple headset/mic combination, but these typically are not as clear sounding as Bluetooth sets. As previously mentioned, an update will provide compatibility for Sony’s branded PULSE headsets and Sony will issue a system update to provide this compatibility in the coming months, but would not specify an exact date. The included USB headsets will be mono, so you essentially get what you pay for (the bundled PS4 headsets are free, btw).

For a scantily clad, mere 100 dollar more investment you can purchase an awesome new PS4 Bundle that includes a game, extra DUALSHOCK 4 controller AND the new PS4 Eye camera

New PS4 bundles have been spotted online for sale in Europe that include a whole lot more extras for a very reasonable extra $100 sheckles.

The inevitability of the new console launches from Sony and Microsoft are becoming more and more of a reality every new day that rises upon us. Next-Gen is almost here, and Sony has been rumored to soon announce a killer new bundle that includes (GET THIS:)

Plus all PlayStation 4 Bundles, whichever you purchase contain a Headset for communication via multiplayer or Live Chat services

So let’s break this down shall we? The standard PS4 bundle which includes the console, controller and headset costs $399. The aforementioned recently announced bundle contains all the extras for a total price of $499, the full price of rival Microsoft’s Xbox One console. Considering the fact that the MSRP on the PS4 Eye Camera is rumored to be around $100, the launch title Killzone: Shadow Fall will probably retail for around $59.99 and a new Dual Shock 4 Controller will most likely set you back another 50-60 dollars, your savings will be in the approximate range of 120 dollars. This estimate is hypothetical of course, since we truly won’t know the price of a Dual Shock 4 Controller, PS4 Eye Camera and Killzone launch title until they actually hit retail shelves. The prices offered via numerous online retailers such as Amazon maybe special prices for those who laid down the $100-200 in advance for preorders of the unit. If you have evidence to back up or refute my calculations, please don’t hesitate to comment and let me know. It should be noted that so far, this rumored bundle is only be spotted for sale in Europe so let’s hope Sony does the right thing here and makes it available to the states, yes?

Naughty Dog releases free v1.03 update for “The Last of Us” that includes new multiplayer mode called “Interrogation”

I have probably given up more hours of my life to TLOU’s surprisingly robust and addictive multiplayer portion then one would like to admit, but that is just a testament to Naughty Dog’s brilliant game design for their critically acclaimed summer PS3 blockbuster. In a recently new patch available for download via the PlayStation Network (version 1.03 to be exact) players will be greeted to a new multiplayer mode entitled “Interrogation“.While I haven’t played the new game mode for myself, I have heard mixed things about it. However, I won’t complain since it’s a free addition and not some hacked off bit to be locked away later as a DLC pack. I commend Naughty Dog on their commitment to keep “The Last of Us” fans constantly engaged via free updates and upcoming DLC packs. In the new Interrogation mode, you must literally torture your human opponents via shiv kills and other nasty executions to discover the whereabouts of their teams lockboxes. Once your team homes in and finds the precious booty, your team must continue interrogating other opponents to ward off oncoming attackers and find the remaining additional lockboxes. If you’ve played this mode and loved it or hated it, comment and let me know, YES YES?

Sony’s Next-Generation Console, the PlayStation 4 has a confirmed official launch date for NA and EU: November 15th and November 29th, respectively.

Well it’s official, you foaming-at-the-mouth, can’t get enough news Next-Gen Gaming bastards: Sony will launch it’s next-gen console, the PlayStation 4 on November 15 in North America and in Europe November 29th. SCE Chief Executive Andrew House made the announcement at this year’s GamesComm, a annual game expo and fair taking place in Germany, Europe to be precise. Also announced is that soon the PlayStation Vita will drop to a lower price point from $249 down to $199 (I’ve been advocating for this for quite some time, and if the Vita is incorporated into the PS4 as much as Sony has defined it to be, it will be a must-have companion piece for hardcore gamers. Not to mention that the Vita has it’s own catalog of games, around 150 I believe, so that will instantly add value to your PS4 collection since the Vita itself has Vita-specific and exclusive games designed for the maligned handheld. House also mentioned that the PS4 console will be available in 32 countries worldwide during the holiday season.

Compare this to Microsoft Xbox One console launch, which still doesn’t have a set launch date and won’t be completely rolled out until next year in many other territories.

Sony also livecast their GameComm’s conference via the internet while Microsoft held their conference to a select few in the gaming press behind closed doors. Sony also reiterated their strong support for smaller, independent-based developers by reveling in the PS4 exclusive and non-exclusive content offered via the indie developers showcased at the GamesComm expo available through Sony’s various gaming distribution channels, such as the PlayStation Network.

A Review of the classic MetalSlug X for the PSOne has been posted along with various exclusive gameplay videos AND the unboxing of Tales of Xillia Limited Edition for PS3

HiddenDefiniton is not just PS3 and current-console centric, but we also like to indulge in gaming’s past, reminding us of how far we have come, how fun these games still are and being nostalgic for nostalgia’s sake. The PS3 is really a wonderful piece of hardware, playing not only current-gen games but PSOne classics, where it all started. Earlier PS3 units even had the H/W capable to play PS2 games, then later to reduce cost PS2 games were played under the aura of software emulation. However, Sony has since removed the PS2 backwards-compatibility citing that they kept their newest platform restricted to a price-barrier which was not competitive. So the PS2 back-compatibility features were axed in favor of a lower price point. Now the remnants of Sony’s early PS3 backwards-compatible units are considered a rare find and usually cost upward of 200-300 dollars depending on the type of PS2 capabilities and other features that have since been removed from the early brethren of PS3 units. Sony has a consistent knack for castrating it’s features from early models of their consoles and H/W from future models to make them more affordable, although I wish they could find a balance between both. Typically, if you find a used PS3 that contains four front USB ports and a flip-cover on the front of the unit for Micro-SD storage-type cards, these are usually the units that contain the much sought-after PS2 backwards compatibility. However, it should be noted that ALL PS3 units still support PSOne games, a great feature since the PSOne has a huge library of excellent games yet to be converted into a digital format for Sony’s PSN storefront. I took the time this past weekend to play through a SNK-PSOne Classic: Metal Slug X. A straight arcade port with all the bells and whistles one would expect from an arcade port. I also took it upon myself to record gameplay video borrowing my friends HD Camcorder, with droll commentary of course! It’s all included in the review of Metal Slug X. I hope you enjoy a stroll down memory lane of this fun, yet mindless 2D Contra-like shooter as I shall be doing more of these classic retro reviews when time permits. Enjoy! Click on the following link to view my review and watch exclusive gameplay video of Metal Slug X:

Released during the glory years of the PSOne, this classic arcade port from AgeTec includes quite literally a blast from the past as developer SNK includes everything and more from the arcade port, including cooperative mayhem.

Microsoft’s Xbox One, pictured above with the bundled Kinect camera/motion capture interface is priced at $499 and scheduled to hit retail shelves in November of this year.

In a move that has sent awe-confused ripples through the gaming community and set every gaming and technology internet forum afire, Microsoft has reversed their stringent DRM and online restrictions for the Xbox One. I have been around for every incarnation of a “next-gen” console since I was given a NES for Christmas back in the late 1980’s and I have never seen anything like this. For “features” that were touted by several high-ranking MS employees to be intricate and fundamental to how the console works, this reversal on their own policy creation is confusing and shocking, to say the least. It’s like a politician flip-flopping on their own failed policies, trying to sustain damage control. But is the damage already done? Can Microsoft regain the legions of once XBOX faithful to their floundering console (which hasn’t even been released yet) who have already claimed to switch over to Sony’s PS4, or is it to little, to late? Also, if it’s this easy for MS to remove these features 6 months before the consoles release that they apparently worked so hard to implement, whose to say that they won’t again reverse their policies once the Xbox One has a solid foot hold in the market via a firmware update?

MS certainly has an uphill battle to climb from here on out, but this policy reversal may have done more damage than good. Even though many gamers, journalists and bloggers were criticizing MS for their anti-consumer approach towards their next-gen console, many also considered the Xbox One’s always online and DRM to be true features of a next-generation console. The capability to share any game that has been installed on your system amongst 10 designated family or friends and the new features to be able to resell or share your digital downloads on Microsoft’s always connected landscape have now been removed in favor of the more tried and true tangible copy of game lending, selling or reselling. Here is the full blog post from Microsoft Xbox Chief Don Mattrick, straight from the horses mouth:

“Last week at E3, the excitement, creativity and future of our industry was on display for a global audience.

For us, the future comes in the form of Xbox One, a system designed to be the best place to play games this year and for many years to come. As is our heritage with Xbox, we designed a system that could take full advantage of advances in technology in order to deliver a breakthrough in game play and entertainment. We imagined a new set of benefits such as easier roaming, family sharing, and new ways to try and buy games. We believe in the benefits of a connected, digital future.

Since unveiling our plans for Xbox One, my team and I have heard directly from many of you, read your comments and listened to your feedback. I would like to take the opportunity today to thank you for your assistance in helping us to reshape the future of Xbox One.

You told us how much you loved the flexibility you have today with games delivered on disc. The ability to lend, share, and resell these games at your discretion is of incredible importance to you. Also important to you is the freedom to play offline, for any length of time, anywhere in the world.

So, today I am announcing the following changes to Xbox One and how you can play, share, lend, and resell your games exactly as you do today on Xbox 360. Here is what that means:

An internet connection will not be required to play offline Xbox One games – After a one-time system set-up with a new Xbox One, you can play any disc based game without ever connecting online again. There is no 24 hour connection requirement and you can take your Xbox One anywhere you want and play your games, just like on Xbox 360.

Trade-in, lend, resell, gift, and rent disc based games just like you do today – There will be no limitations to using and sharing games, it will work just as it does today on Xbox 360.

In addition to buying a disc from a retailer, you can also download games from Xbox Live on day of release. If you choose to download your games, you will be able to play them offline just like you do today. Xbox One games will be playable on any Xbox One console — there will be no regional restrictions.

These changes will impact some of the scenarios we previously announced for Xbox One. The sharing of games will work as it does today, you will simply share the disc. Downloaded titles cannot be shared or resold. Also, similar to today, playing disc based games will require that the disc be in the tray.

We appreciate your passion, support and willingness to challenge the assumptions of digital licensing and connectivity. While we believe that the majority of people will play games online and access the cloud for both games and entertainment, we will give consumers the choice of both physical and digital content. We have listened and we have heard loud and clear from your feedback that you want the best of both worlds.

Thank you again for your candid feedback. Our team remains committed to listening, taking feedback and delivering a great product for you later this year.”

This years E3 will undoubtedly be remembered for the unveiling of the crop of next-gen hardware from Microsoft and Sony, but also for the exciting plethora of games coming for both current and next gen consoles. Let’s start off with next gen:

Mirrors EDGE -=- PS4 / Xbox One

A surprise revelation towards the end of EA’s Press Conference, this reboot of ME was probably the last thing many expected. Personally, I always thought this IP deserved a awesome sequel (EA claims this will be a reboot of the franchise) as I loved the constant pace of running and literally thinking while on your feet. The reboot, sequel, prequel or whatever the hell it is looks to improve upon the original in every conceivable way possible. Check out the teaser trailer from E3 below:

Knack-=- PS4

The pet project of PlayStation 4’s Lead Architect Mark Cerny is a hybrid of classic platformers with the infusion of new technology. Knack, titled after the main character you play as, is a self-aware robot with the ability to manipulate the environment around him. He can absorb different pieces of a level to make himself much larger to even the odds against a larger, more difficult adversary or can absorb resources such as ice, metal etc to constantly forge new abilities. Knack will be an PS4 exclusive launch title and Cerny describes Knack as a “family-friendly” oriented game that casual and hardcore gamers alike can both enjoy. Check out the announcement trailer below:

Killzone: Shadow Fall -=- PS4

One of Sony’s flagship series and launch titles developed by First-pary Developer Guerrilla looks to be the most aesthetically pleasing of the PlayStation 4’s Launch Line-up. Being a Killzone fan myself, I’m actually quite excited for this release. KZ2 and KZ3 were great FPS exclusive entries for the PS3 and I can only imagine with all the extra horsepower under the PS4’s hood that Guerilla and Sony may manage to turn KZ: Shadowfall could into a system seller. The Killzone franchise may not be anywhere close to Halo in terms of popularity, but it’s realistic environments and weighty weapon mechanics made for a compelling and addictive gaming experience. The Helghast (the primary antagonist in all 3 KZ games) can draw comparison from the Nazi war machine of WW2 and the realistic gunplay mechanics always worked well for this series. Here’s a 20-minute presentation that features a gameplay trailer and the dev’s explaining how they went about to create the impressive visuals featured in the game which should give you an idea of what the next iteration of Killzone will offer:

Watch Dogs-=-PS4/Xbox One (plus every other available platform known to man)

Watch Dogs is a multi-multi platform release coming this fall developed by Ubisoft. I would say Watch Dogs is the definitive launch title amongst the next-gen consoles except it’s supposedly coming out for the PS3 and 360 at the same time, as well as EVERYTHING ELSE (literally). Obviously the game will probably play much smoother and look exceptionally better on the PS4 and Xbone. You play as character Aiden Pierce, who has a 6th sense for hacking electronic devices and controlling the digital world around him. In the gameplay demo below, it shows Aiden hacking into a cellphones, street-side video cameras, street lights and even retractable traffic poles to cease the ingress of a police cars. Watch the gameplay vid below running on the PS4 hardware (courtesy of IGN):

Those were just some of the highlights of this years E3. There were many, many more games revealed and on display from Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo. Sony is said to have around 20 titles available when the PS4 launches this fall. Microsoft also had some very interesting exclusives, including Quantum Break, RYSE, Project Spark and the blockbuster shooter Titanfall being published by EA for Xbox One, the 360 and MS Windows. Here’s a look at some of the Sony exclusives coming out for the PS3 this year:

Beyond: Two Souls-=- PS3

A exclusive Playstation title, created by the brilliant team at Quantic Dream and featuring Ellen Page as the protagonist and William Dafoe as her caretaker. What more do you need? The game looks absolutely gorgeous and if it’s one thing Quantic Dream knows how to do it’s push the PS3 technology to it’s limit. Heavy Rain was a beautiful, if not melancholy title that contained a great story and well developed characters. The E3 demo below shows off more of the action-oriented parts of the game, as the title follows Page’s character Jodi Holmes for 30 years of her life. And it’s nice to see that the action sequences won’t be confined to just Quick Time Events like it’s predecessor. Beyond: Two Souls looks much more like a game then an interactive movie and I couldn’t be more pleased. Beyond will be released this fall exclusively for PS3. Check out the in-game demo footage below from E3:

Rain-=- PS3

Rain is one of those rare titles where art, beauty and gameplay blend seamlessly. You play as a boy that has crossed into a world where he is totally invisible to the naked eye, making only his silhouette in the rain the only visible way to distinguish him from your environment. You must navigate the streets of this world, filled with dangerous animals and puzzles and even have a partner; a little girl who you are constantly trying to connect with but seemingly are always separated by enemies, structures and even her own fear that keeps her from reaching out to you. Rain is a platformer at heart but with a much more somber and disparate take on the genre. Rain is coming exclusively to the PS3 via the Playstation Network and could be another breakout hit a la Journey. Developed by JAPAN Studios. Check out the Story Trailer below

The Last of Us-=- PS3

The Last of Us is Naughty Dog’s swan song to the PS3. The game has already been released with universal acclaim and is certainly a contender for Game of the Year. It’s no wonder that Sony acquired the studio back in 2001 after producing such PlayStation originals as Crash Bandicoot for the original PSX. Since then, the studio’s demand on itself for exceptional quality in each subsequent title released has become ever more apparent. For this current generation, ND has released the Uncharted series to critical acclaim, with each title besting it’s predecessor. For it’s final entry into the Playstation 3 generation, Naughty Dog went with something completely different and I’m so happy that they did. The Last of Us is a survival-horror game taking place in post-pandemic North America where your character Joel, a hardened grizzly survivalist that trades for goods on the black market, must escort a 14-yr old girl named Ellie from the government dominated quarantine sector across hazardous parts of the country. North America has been overrun by “the infected”, which has decimated 90% of the population leaving factions of healthy humans looking to steal and kill you for your supplies. The game is visually stout and best demonstrates bow if effectively programmed for, the CELL processor is a unique and awesome piece of H/W. Walking through the decaying and deserted cities once populated by man to see how nature has progressively reclaimed the Earth is awe-inspiring, to say the least. If you are a Naughty Dog fan or a survival-horror fan or hell, looking for a reason to buy a PS3 “The Last of Us” is that reason. Yes, the game is that good. Look for a full review coming soon on HiddenDefinition. Below is the red-band trailer that debuted during an episode of AMC’s “The Walking Dead”.

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Well thought-out articles with objective analysis comprising of every relevant facet in the gaming industry today, and it happens to be created and maintained by my best friend Mike. So go NOW!